ABSTRACT
A key problem in teaching Bible in Israel’s non-Orthodox high schools is the tension between traditional exegesis and biblical criticism. This chapter explores how one experienced Bible teacher, whom we shall call Galit, addresses this tension. The study of Galit’s teaching is based on data collected by means of participant observation and in-depth interviews, according to standard methods of qualitative inquiry, action research, and case study methodology, and analyzed according to Elliot Eisner’s aesthetic approach to educational evaluation (1979; 1991). The analysis revealed that Galit’s teaching emphasizes tradi-tional exegesis over biblical criticism, which reduces opportunities to foster critical thinking and other democratic values on the part of the students.
